Bae Joon-Ho 'makes early return' at Stoke's request...misses WAFF U-23 Championship final
'Supernova' Bae Joon-ho (Stoke City) has been dismissed from the Olympic team at the request of his club.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said on Friday that "Bae Junho's club Stoke requested the early return of the player to prepare for the league match." "The KFA and the Olympic team coaching staff accepted the club's request and arranged for the player to return to the team today," the KFA said. As a result, Bae will not be able to play in the 2024 West Asian Football Confederation (WAFF) U-23 Championship final against Australia on Sunday at 5 a.m.
Bae joined Stoke in the summer transfer window after playing a key role in last year's U-20 World Cup, where he was part of the team's quarterfinal run. Despite his young age, he has made a significant impact in his first year in Europe. He has been a key part of the team under new manager Steven Schumacher, who was forced to sack Alex Neil last December due to poor results. Bae has been Stoke's ace in the hole with his sharp play. Recently, he has been increasing his attacking points every game.
His performances have earned him a spot on the Olympic team. On June 24, he set up Uhm Ji Sung (Gwangju) for the game-winning goal in the semifinals against Saudi Arabia. But ahead of the final, he was called up by Stoke. Stoke are in crisis. They sit in 19th place in the Championship. Only two points separate them from 22nd-place Huddersfield, who are in the relegation zone. Their remaining games are crucial for their chances of staying up. With the 39th round match against Hull City on Tuesday at 30:00, Stoke desperately need the presence of ace Bae Jun-ho, and the club has made a decision to secure his future. After the tournament, South Korea will head to the U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar in April, which doubles as the final Olympic qualifier. Head coach Hwang Sun-hong, who is on a brief stint with the A team, is hoping to have Bae with him for the tournament.
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